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We have attempted to visualise the project induced changes in the existing status of wildlife habitats in order to predict the likely impacts of the project on wildlife values. This chapter identifies such impacts on the different components of the biological environment of the affected area. The significance of such impacts has largely been based rated in accordance with the uniqueness and/or fragility of a given habitat type, or the status of faunal/floral species likely to be impacted upon, as well as the duration and reversibility of the changes associated with project activities.
4.1Impact assessment along Viramgam-Chaksu (VC) section:
The baseline information on the wildlife values of the ecologically sensitive areas identified and likely impacts due to the implementation of proposed pipeline project are discussed below. The identification of these impacts is largely based on characteristics and sensitivity of habitats, wildlife values likely to be impacted upon.
A. Wetlands:
Wetlands serve as important wildlife-- habitats. Wetland ecosystems are dynamic due to changing water regimes, nutrient dynamics, natural filters, stability, productivity and energetics. Wetlands exhibit higher rate of productivity than several other ecosystems. Tropical wetlands are more productive than tropical forests and Savannas (Gopal, 1986).
Realising the importance of wetland habitats and the significant role they play on the ecology of any area, several parameters viz. seasonality, flora and fauna and biotic disturbance have been taken into consideration in order to predict the likely impact upon the wetland habitats en route the existing pipeline.
(i) Rivers:
Construction of looplines, maintenance, or any other pipeline related activity at all the river crossing points will not have any serious impact. This is justifiable mainly in view of the following reasons: All the rivers surveyed were seasonal in nature except the Balaram river. Even during monsoon season they experience only flash floods for a short period. Villagers mostly depend on these rivers for sand mining and other domestic purposes. These characteristics therefore do not allow these rivers to get any significant rating for wildlife values. It has been well documented that the main tributaries of the Luni (Lirli, Mithri, Sukri, Guhiya, Bandi, Zojri, Jawai, Bandi, and Sangi) are of short duration, occasional/and high flow tributaries and they radically change in the cross section "(Dhruvanarayan et. al. 1964).
(ii) Lakes and village ponds:
(a) Dhasuk:
The Nawa lake is a seasonal wetland and supports few species of fishes and aquatic birds. The dependency of local people on this lake is of very high order. It has a significant socio-economic importance for villagers than the ecological importance to wetland fauna. As the proposed loopline section will pass 150 m away from this habitat, the likely impact will not be significant.
(b) Chaksu:
The soft shelled turtle and fishes can be seen in this lake only during monsoon season. Since the dependency of villagers is high on this lake low faunal diversity exists. The proposed loopline will not traverse through this lake. Hence, no significant impact on this lake has been visualized.
(c) Kokta:
Direct sighting of Indian soft shelled turtle (Lissemys punctata) and eight species of aquatic birds, both of high conservation importance gives this village pond a status of important wetland habitat en route the proposed" loopline section. As the pond has relatively high faunal value and low level of biotic disturbance, it rates a high conservation significance value. The construction work of proposed loopline will be away from this pond. Since the proposed pipeline construction and maintenance activities will be away no direct impact is visualized on this important wetland.
(d) Rudathal:
This pond serves as an important wetland habitat for winter migrant waterfowl. Since the distance between this pond and the existing pipeline is ca. 700 m, no direct impact on this habitat is foreseen.
B. Forests:
In order to assess the impact on various forest areas en route the pipeline the parameters viz. the legal status of the forest area, length of the pipeline that will traverse through, the distance between the pipeline and the forest area, floral and faunal richness and the existing level of disturbance (tree cutting, lopping, grazing, location of villages, railway line and roads) have been taken into consideration.
(i) Chitrasani Forest:
The presence of a railway line and a state highway has already influenced the productivity of this forest. In addition to this ROW has been maintained in this forest for the existing pipeline. Since new proposed loopline is not passing through this stretch of forest, proposed augmentation of VC section will not have any additional impact upon this forest area.
(ii) Abu-Road Forest:
The new proposed loop line will not have any significant impact on this forest stretch for the reasons: The forest area is away from the proposed pipeline and possesses low floral and faunal diversity. Moreover, this forest is having high level of biotic pressure.
(iii) Kivarali Reserved Forest:
Because of the degraded state of this forest significant wildlife values were not recorded. Hence, there is no likely impact.
(iv) Sadalwa Jod Reserved Forest:
This forest area has the status of a Reserved forest. Due to its poor state in terms of low floral and faunal diversity and high level of biotic pressure no significant impact on this forest has been visualized by the maintenance of existing pipeline.
The VC pipeline section has been maintained by IOCL for almost two decades now. The proposed augmentation of VC pipeline section by laying of four looplines and two IPS is not likely to effect any of the ecologically sensitive wildlife habitats described above. However, it is recommended that the project implementing agency should continue and also reinforce the safety measures against any possible leakage or rupture of pipelines.
4.2 Impact assessment of Chaksu-Panipat (CP) section:
The CP pipeline/section has been proposed in order to supply crude oil to the Panipat Refinery which is presently being constructed. The crude oil requirement of the Panipat Refinery is proposed to be met by linking CP section with the existing SalayaChaksu section of SMPL. Therefore, the EIA of proposed pipeline project on wildlife values cannot be evaluated in isolation.
For assessing the likely impacts on wildlife values due to the implementation of proposed 345.7 km long CP pipeline section, four ecologically sensitive areas were identified and intensively studied. Impacts are discussed below:
A. WETLANDS
Only one wetland i.e., Kalka warranted an intensive study in the CP section to identify the likely impacts on wildlife values.
Kalka Wetland:
The Kalka wetland, part of which will be traversed by the proposed CP pipeline, secured a higher significance value indicating its conservation importance (Table- 3.2.3). As many as 20 bird species belonging to 17 genera were sighted in this wetland during the brief visit in summer. The important bird species sighted in this wetland included the sarus crane, open bill stork, spoon bill and lesser flamingo. Sighting of birds usually varies depending upon the season and availability of food, cover and water. During the winter months (November-February), higher bird diversity in most of the wetlands has been reported. This is mainly due to (a) migratory nature of waterfowl, and (b) suitability of wetland habitats during winter because shallow water in summer makes the habitat unsuitable for certain species such as cranes, storks and geese.
The Kalka wetland possesses some rich attributes of habitat for waterfowl due to its habitat diversity. Intensive study revealed the presence of reeds (Typha spp.), water-hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) and woodland areas which provide food and shelter values for birds in the surrounds of the wetland. Agricultural lands also exist in the vicinity which provides foraging areas for waterfowl. Potential threats to waterfowl and wetland habitats due to oil pipelines and allied activities have been discussed below:
(a) Potential threats to waterfowl:
Cranes:
Declining status become a powerful symbol of habitat destruction and loss of biodiversity on a global scale. The biology of Cranes leaves them specially vulnerable: most species lay just two eggs per year, but frequently only one will survive. Most Cranes do not nest until they are 4-5 years old. As a result they can only slowly replace their losses to a variety of threats. Thus, seven of the world's 15 crane species are endangered, and other species are rapidly declining. The tallest/bird in the USA, the Whooping Crane, is being threatened due to a variety of reasons; one of them being the construction of pipelines. Leaks and ruptures in the pipeline leading to gas and oil sleak have led to the destruction of their habitat (Harris, 1992).
As large predators or scavengers on top of the food chain, Storks are important indicators of the health of wetland ecosystem. The International Council for Bird Preservation (ICBP) Specialist Group on Storks has determined that of the 17-19 species recognized, seven are endangered, vulnerable or of indeterminate status and nine are regionally threatened (ICBP, 1989) .Open Bill Storks have been reported to 'leave their nests unguarded (during laying period), due to disturbances in the form of bursting of vehicle tyres, presence of tourists, noisy activities, which makes nests prone by crows (Lewis, 1992).
(b) Potential threats to wetlands habitats:
In a freshwater swamp spill in Nigeria, floating vascular plants such as Pistia spp. died completely and certain submerged plants (e.g., Ceratophylum) were also found dying because of oil spill. Standing freshwater areas such as swamps or marshes show longer residence time of oil due to static nature of the waterbody (Baca and Getter, 1985) .
B. FORESTS:
Three forest habitats were identified for intensive studies to determine the wildlife status and extent of impact.
(i) Lakhawas open scrub:
This forest area was characterised by low tree cover (< 25%). The density of five different scrub species varied from 3.5 to 13.4/ha. Presence of wolf (Canis lupus) in the area needs further confirmation. The area is presently in a degraded condition. Thus, various activities related to the proposed pipeline will not have significant impact.
(ii) Bawri ka Bir Reserved Forest:
The area was ranked highest amongst the identified ecologically sensitive areas studied in this section (Table 3.2.4). Local residents reported the presence of wolf {Canis lupus) in this area. The pipeline passes 200 m away from the reserved forest and consequently only very little impact, if any, of pipeline construction on the forest can be inferred due to labour activities in the surrounds.
(iii) Baraud Reserved Forest :
This area assumes importance in view of the extent of pipeline passing through the forest and for its wildlife species. About 3,800 m of the pipeline passes through this Reserved Forest. The area was characterised by scrub vegetation and occurrence of wild mammals such as nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) and black naped hare (Lepus nigricollis). It is also to be noted that human induced disturbances already exist in this area. It has been reported that such disturbance increase in scale due to clearance of a portion of the forest (WII, 1993). Potential threat to this Reserved Forest is visualised during the construction phase by clearance of forest cover by the maintenance of ROW and restricting tree growth.
The proposed pipeline construction activities and later maintenance of ROW along the pipeline route will lead to different impacts: (i) The Kalka pond, an ecologically sensitive area en route the pipeline supporting diverse fauna and flora will have significant impact, (ii) Of the three forest areas studied, a high level of impact on Baraud Reserved Forest only is visualised (Fig 4.2.1). This impact is largely by the construction activities during the pipeline laying process and by the maintenance of ROW later on. During the construction phase the impact on this Reserved Forest will be by the removal of trees and by restricting tree growth during the maintenance phase, (iii) The possibility of a leak in the pipeline due to various reasons leading to oil spill. In the event of a leak the nature of impact would depend on the: (a) extent of oil spill, (b) extent of area affected, (c) wildlife species in the area, (d) persistence of oil in the sailor water, and (e) resilience of the affected area.
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